


Always In The Last Place

by missema



Series: Kirkwall Tech [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Casual Relationship, F/F, Medical, New Job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-30 22:58:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6445651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missema/pseuds/missema
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being poor in Kirkwall sucks, and Bethany feels it like neither of her siblings. Carver’s gone on to his new life and Melissa’s in school, so it’s just Bethany, her not girlfriend Athenril and her crappy part time job. On a tip from Athenril, she goes to an interview at this rundown clinic, and everything changes in one afternoon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always In The Last Place

Bethany put on a clean dress, told her mother she had to work and then left to go spend her evening in the apartment above Athenril’s shop, caught up in the bedsheets of the woman she worked for. They weren’t so crass as to call that work, though they almost always wound up discussing it afterwards. Their affair had started at work, however, but neither of them desired for it to be more than just a passing thing — no need to tell others. 

Melissa had been standing right next to her the first time she and Athenril flirted, but instead of stopping her, of saying anything, she just absented herself. One moment, Bethany had been standing next to her sister and shyly returning barbs with their boss, the next Melissa had given them a smile and slid away. It was just flirting until she worked an overnight, cataloging items of a dubious provenance for a big shipment during midterms, when Melissa couldn’t work. That night she’d wound up with Athenril between her legs in the middle of the stockroom around 3am.

Bethany didn’t fool herself — they weren’t in love, but she did love having someone to fuck, someone that wanted her. It wasn’t really the best arrangement, she was still employed by Athenril, but that was an afterthought to Bethany. It was just nice to be wanted, to have someone that gave her a sense that she wasn’t completely out of place in Kirkwall. Her family’s lives in Ferelden had been all about survival, making it from one day to the next, sharing those struggles together. Here, she had time and a little money whenever she managed to hide it from her uncle. In Kirkwall, she had the chance to finally try to understand what she might want. Right now, what she wanted was so much sex with Athenril that it made her clench her thighs together in anticipation whenever she thought about it.

Lights blazed in Athenril’s shop as Bethany got closer, and there was a truck unloading outside. The shop often had sporadic hours, it was more about procuring for private customers than selling to the general public. Athenril wasn’t in sight, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t around. Bethany stood across the street and watched for a moment, hesitating. She hadn’t known about a delivery. Was she early? She checked the phone in her bag, but it was just around the time they’d planned to meet. She frowned, watching the boxes be moved from the back of the truck into the already overstuffed shop. Instead of letting herself in the side door that led up to the tiny apartment over the shop that Athenril used, she went in the front door.

“Busy tonight, sweetie,” Athenril said when Bethany showed up. “But I’ve got something for you.” She pulled her phone from the pocket on her pants and texted Bethany. “Email address of a contact of mine, runs a clinic. Sometimes I get a few things for him, mostly magic books. He’s legit,” she said, catching the look Bethany gave her at mention of magic. “He was looking for someone full time but I don’t know what for. Thought it might be worth a look,” she said, shrugging.

“Thanks,” Bethany said, trying to hide her disappointment.

“Sorry about this, Beth, I really am. I was looking forward to tonight, but business calls,” Athenril said. She leaned forward and gave Bethany a quick consolation kiss, distracted and fleeting before she was off.

Bethany walked home, trying to mitigate her disappointment by composing the email she’d send to this address in her head. She was wary of another job prospect, but Athenril wouldn’t get her into anything too shady. She’d just been on so many interviews, Maker, it seemed like she did more interviewing than working at Athenril’s. If she was truthful with herself, she had only the faintest hope that this one would turn into a real job.

#

It had taken no time at all to get a response to her email. The job wasn’t much, an assistant position that included things like making sure the floors were swept and filing paperwork. It wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle, and it was full time. She could still work with Athenril for extra money if she wanted to, but a full time job would offer her more protection from the templars. They reserved the right to lock up any indigent mages, and with their lack of funds, her family was always perilously closer to that borderline.

She went in for her interview two days later. This place, unlike Athenril and her Hightown shopfront, were in her part of town. Well, it was in an even rougher part, than where she lived, but that didn’t deter her. She opened the door to a small, squat building with dirty windows. Inside it was immaculate, sterile and clean in that way that medical offices are, and somewhat worn, but comfortable.

“Hi, are you the one here for the job?” asked a harried blonde man who was obviously in charge. He was lanky and tired, but had warm brown eyes and a kind smile. His clothes hung in just the way that said they used to fit better, and she had the desire to bring him a cake. If she had enough of anything at Gamlen’s to make a cake, she might have considered it.

“Yes, I’m Bethany,” she said, offering him a hand. He gave a quick shake, but a warm smile that made her feel welcome.

“All right, I’m a little short handed today so it’s trial by fire, as it were. You’re a mage, correct? “ She nodded and he continued. “Can you do the tests on those vials over there? I need to know that they’re truly safe to use again. The instructions are all written down in that binder next to it, I just haven’t had the chance and there’s no other mages around.”

He held out his hand to her and after a second of uncertainty, she took it. Uncertain, because she’d only been shown this before by her father. His palm sat flat on top of hers and then there was the crackle of energy, mana being pulled and expelled, warming the air. It was a magical greeting between mages, Circle mages. She was not one, and had only her father’s memories and teaching to rely upon, but she pulled at his magic as he had at hers, getting familiar with it, learning him. This man was immensely powerful in the healing arts, but she’d known that when she’d come in and seen him in charge. It was like kissing a stranger, intimate but detached and she could feel him, all strength and power and intense control.

When they separated, she took a small step back and spoke. “You are Anders, right?”

“Sorry, sorry. Don’t mean to be rude but it’s busy around here. Yes, I’m Anders. You can grab a lab coat to go over your dress from that hook over there, and there’s the spell station. Thank you so much,” he said.

He headed in the opposite direction of where she’d been directed to go, but didn’t look back. Bethany looked around at the station she was supposed to use, an old computer terminal next to a sterile looking desk and quite a lot of glass vials, jars and tubes of all types. So many, she wasn’t sure how getting along without them. Glass was used to hold the magical and mundane, enchanted so it wouldn’t break. It could be reused, it was relatively easy to clean with magic and was good for all sorts of things from blood samples to lyrium. Anders obviously went through a lot, but it was a free clinic. He probably saw a great many patients in one day.

Bethany did as she was told and pulled a lab coat on over her dress. She wasn’t a healer, and could barely manage the one basic healing spell she knew. This job might be too much for her. Tightness welled in her belly, uncertainty making a pit that threatened to swallow all of her confidence. She could do this, all she had to do was read the instructions and follow them precisely. With a shaking breath, she started her work.

#

His days were usually long and without respite, but Anders had help that wasn’t the intermittent volunteer worker. It went unusually well with Bethany around. She was good at running the programs on the computer and once she got the hang of the magic, required little oversight. That was a good thing, because he didn’t have much time to train. They were always busy here, and he needed several more people to keep it growing.

This clinic was his baby. He’d been employed elsewhere as a healer, and had learned a great deal, but when Anders came to Kirkwall, he had no desire for a cushy job. Let the Viscount have his own personal pet mage — Anders just wanted to make sure regular people could get help when they needed it. If he could help another mage stay out of the Gallows, then he absolutely would. He knew how many people suffered at the ‘request’ of the templars. Mages without homes or families, without full time work, they were all requested to go to the Circle, for their own good. Then they were at the mercy of the templars.

Her dress was faded and patched. Anders knew that she was just a hop away from falling into the path of the templars and their requests to go quietly to the hell that was the Gallows. While her jet black hair was clean and neat, if a little ragged on the overlong ends, but she had the tired look that poverty bestows upon people. He saw how desperate she was when she sat down with that determined look on her face. She would stay, even if she couldn’t handle the job. There were other things to do around here, not just magical medical technician, but her CV said she’d been trained in it. 

She was working when he glanced over at her, testing each vial with magic, and cleaning them when they failed the test. He could feel the pulse and spark of her magic when she had to clean them. It was good, pure magic, uncorrupted. But there was something not quite standard about it, and had he the time it would have made him wonder. He had met many home-trained mages, but usually only after they were taken to the Circle and 'tested'. The templars claimed it was for 'the greater good', but Anders knew they put mages that had been trained outside the Circle through much more rigorous tests than those they'd posed to people stuck within their Circles.

There was no time for idle thoughts, because a patient of his that had been brought in the night before started wailing. She'd been in false labor, but so close to the end of her pregnancy, he'd opted to keep her at the clinic. This time when he laid hands on her, he was sure her labor was real. It was definitely going to be another long day.

#

“So I think I made a mistake earlier,” Anders said when he came over to her. She’d been working for six hours by the time he was ready to let her go for the day. He gave her a sheepish smile that real happiness shone through. Despite the length of the day, Bethany could tell he was happy about the child he'd delivered early. A healthy baby boy.

After performing a few administrative and housekeeping tasks, she’d assisted in the birth, which was mostly her holding the hand of the mother as she labored. It hadn’t taken long, and this woman had other children and knew to use her contractions. When they hit, she squeezed Bethany’s hand then bore down until Anders told her not to push anymore, and her baby boy was out and wailing. It had been incredible to watch. She’d stayed with the woman after she held her clean baby, and until she fell asleep. 

It was so exciting and wonderful and humbling to have been part of a birth. Not everyday would be like this, she knew, but Maker, it would be good to do things that mattered. None of her work before mattered beyond getting paid. This was much more fulfilling.

“A mistake?” Bethany asked, looking up at him.

“You aren’t the one that studied to be a magical med technician, are you?” he asked.

“No, that’s not me. Were you expecting someone else today?” Bethany asked, willing her voice to stay steady despite the rising tide of panic inside of her. Shit, shit, shit. She’d already lost this job too. Her heart sank and her throat closed up. Tears were already threatening and he hadn’t even told her no yet. It had been going so well.

The smile on his face didn't waver, but she wasn't sure if she was supposed to be reassured by that. “Yeah, but I don’t think it matters now. You’re good at this, and frankly you were Maker sent today. I can use you around, if you want the job.”

“Are you serious? You’d take me on even without the training?” she asked. Incredulity and caution dampened her response outwardly, but she was no less pleased. Blessed Andraste, this was like something out of a dream or a story. She was still going to have a chance, even though someone more qualified had applied.

“Well,” Anders scratched the back of his neck and stretched like a cat. “That’s the thing. I’d still like a trained med tech, but I need someone full time. The position is grant-funded, so I really can’t hire you unless you’re med tech or going to be a med tech. I can take on a trainee, as long as they are going to school. Do you think you could handle the job and study? It will be a lot and it means committing for years, but if you’re serious, we can work out a schedule.”

Before today, Bethany hadn’t even considered going into healthcare. Her healing magic was too weak, and being home trained had always seemed to work against her, not for her. Everyone wanted Circle mages, or at least those that had gone to college. She wasn’t like Melissa, who was truly a genius and had won her way into a good program, then rose to the top of it on the back of her indefatigable desire to learn and be the best. Her studies would be hard work, school was very difficult for her, and would be worse now, without Carver here to help her interpret things, to explain what she was missing. But now she was being offered it all — a job, schooling, a chance for future that she’d always thought was out of her reach. Who would have thought that all of this could come from a rundown clinic in the bad part of Kirkwall? It was always in the last place one looked.

“Yes, I’m sure I can,” Bethany told Anders. He beamed at her.

“Then we’ve got some paperwork to do tomorrow. You’ll be paid for today, of course, and you’re to come back in the morning at seven. We’ll figure out the schooling vouchers and registration. Classes are already in session, so you won’t be able to start for a few weeks until the summer classes begin.”

“Where will I be going?” she asked.

“Free Marches Medical. There's a branch here in Kirkwall. They’ve got a two year health program. It could take you a little longer than that, however, if you’re working here, but your schedule is up to you to decide. You just need to be in school to get paid from the grant, and if you apply tonight, you can technically be in school today. They just need the proper paperwork and you're in, no lengthy waiting for acceptance. When you’re done and graduated you’ll get a raise and a promotion.”

That sounded good to her. Really, really good. Far better than working in Athenril’s dusty shop at odd hours and taking strange requests. She would miss Athenril, but maybe she’d see her again before she started going to classes and her schedule got too busy. 

“Thank you so much,” she said, but Anders laughed.

“I should say the same to you. It’s been a long time since I’ve had good help. Working in a clinic isn’t the type of job most people want,” he said.

“It’s the best,” Bethany said, meaning it.

Her walk home was short, and it was just before sunset when the sky was still bright and the light limned everything in gold. Maker, it was so beautiful, and her heart was so light it might float away on one of the beams of ethereal light. Today, for the first time since she’d come to Kirkwall, there was nothing but good news for her to tell Mother when she opened the door.


End file.
